A lot of pressure comes with choosing a name for our baby. There are a million options and no official rule book to follow. There are so many potential mistakes to make when it’s a decision that’s so big. We’re giving our kids a moniker that will define them, and the last thing we want is to end up hating the name ourselves, or for our kiddo to hate it later on down the road.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that we will pick the right name, and there will always be the chance that it could be the wrong decision. But there are some things parents-to-be should consider before making the birth certificate official…
Check the initials for any iffy acronyms
Is it impossible to spell?
Making sure the name itself is easy enough to spell might help ensure no baby name guilt later. Of course, this isn’t a hard rule. Some great names are more complicated than the ones we always see. But if the decision to use a popular name but flip the spelling is being discussed, parents will want to think that one through.
Check the popularity over the past few years
Many parents check out the popular baby name list to help them choose a name or avoid super-popular ones. Those are helpful, but it’s also handy to look at the handful of years before and any lists that predict what names might gain in popularity. We often see baby names rise in popularity after pop culture trends, such as in the case of “Eleven” or “Arya.”
Google the first name and the last name
Google should play a part in vetting a baby’s name before it becomes official. For example, we often check for the first name’s meaning to ensure it’s not something negative. But we should also check for the full name in Google to make sure nothing comes up in the search that might make us hate the baby name down the road.
Investigate the potential nicknames
Kids can be cruel and creative, so it’s essential to think about that before gifting a name that will cause many issues when school hits. Of course, we can wish for a world where this type of bullying doesn’t happen, but being aware is brilliant, too. Richard will be shortened to Dick, Florence to Flo. And names like Chad or Karen each have negative connotations lately.
What rhymes with the name?
The chances of a kid having their name rhymed in a nickname, whether negative or positive, needs to be considered. And rhyming words are something that even the youngest kids like to pick up on. So Dolores, Bart, Tucker, all of those have a high probability of later feeling some way about the name.
How will the name age?
Some names sound adorable for babies and kids, but those little ones grow up to be adults. So finding a name that grows up with the baby will be necessary. For example, Barbie or Bear might sound good when the kiddo still sleeps in a bunk bed, but how will it look on a business card one day? Still, if there isn’t a meaningful, personal history with the name, it might not grow up with them.
